Wise Music at the Paris Olympics
15th August 2024
Starting off with "Mon Truc en Plumes", the iconic French song by Zizi Jeanmaire from the early 1960s, continues to captivate audiences more than six decades after its debut.
Fast forward to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and the legendary Lady Gaga brought this timeless performance back to life during the opening ceremony. Gaga paid homage to Jeanmaire by meticulously recreating the original staging, blending her unique style with a deep respect for the classic performance.
Shortly after her performance Gaga wrote on Instagram: "I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris Olympics 2024 this year. I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organizing committee to sing such a special French song — a song to honor the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre.
Continuing on the French theme, Zaho de Sagazan performed "Sous le ciel de Paris," at the closing ceremony . In the Tuileries Gardens, in front of the Olympic cauldron, she performed a song famously associated with Edith Piaf and Juliette Gréco, accompanied by a choir.
"Sous le ciel de Paris" is a classic anthem to Paris, composed by Hubert Giraud with lyrics by Jean Dréjac. It was originally performed and recorded by Jean Bretonnière for the soundtrack of Julien Duvivier's 1951 film of the same name.
The music of Wise was heard throughout the games, with the irrepressible anthem "Freed From Desire" by Gala used regularly as well as “D.I.S.C.O” and “The Olympic Hymn".